Please help me avoid pitocin after delivery!

[MsElle07]

I reeeeeeeally wanted a homebirth and just found out last week that my insurance won't cover it. I'm almost 33 weeks, and have very little time to come up with nearly $5,000. So I am doing a birth center birth, which is not my ideal, but I'm trying to think positively about.

On to my question! At my last BC birth, I bled more than the MW liked and she gave me a shot of pitocin about 20 mn after the baby was born. I would really like to avoid that again -- it make the afterpains almost unbearable. Here is my current plan for avoiding pit:

-- No third stage management -- no cord cutting until the placenta comes out on its own.
-- Lots of nursing ASAP, not being separated from baby, skin to skin contact, etc.
-- Making sure that I empty my bladder often during labor.

What other things can I have on hand to try or do in case of excessive bleeding? I've heard of After-Ease, but is that designed to help control bleeding?

Also, can anyone comment on uterine massage? I have horrific memories of it. How helpful is it in controlling bleeding?

TIA for any help!

[kerikadi]

Have you been drinking RRL throughout your pregnancy? If not, it's not too late to start. My MW believes that it helps control bleeding afterwards. My first two were hospital births and there seemed to be quite a bit of bleeding and I bled for 5-6 weeks. With my homebirths after drinking RRL throughout and lots at the end I only bled 2.5-3 weeks. I am also what some call a free bleeder. Not enough to be considered a clotting disorder but enough that it can be a concern.
Just a suggestion.
Not sure the afterease would help or hinder just help you cope with the cramping.

Good luck,
Keri

[Peppamint]

I would discuss with your midwife whether or not she will allow you to catch and be the only one to touch the baby (assuming of course all is well and she can keep a close eye on you). I LOVED catching my last babe and I had read that allowing the mom and baby to kind of be in their own "bubble" will help prevent postpartum issues (and I'm currently kicking myself for not saving that article or post).

I'm not real knowledgeable about herbs just yet, but my midwife didn't want me to take much AfterEase because she didn't want it to relax my uterus too much... which I think would result in more bleeding. Definitely double check on that.

At my second birth (but not my third because I couldn't find any) I took liquid chloropyll immediately after the birth at the advise of my midwife and I really think it made an AMAZING difference in my bleeding. I was completely done bleeding at 2w6d pp.

And I second Keri's suggestion of RRL!

For afterpains I just take Advil. I give birth drug-free and then invest in a large bottle of Advil.

[bikruca]

maybe try some alfalfa? I'm taking it to reduce post partum bleeding..

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by bikruca

maybe try some alfalfa? I'm taking it to reduce post partum bleeding..

Good idea I didn't think of that. I take it as well to help myself and the baby since we refuse vitamin K. It comes in capsule form and I take two twice a day.

Keri

[doulakris]

I second the raspberry leaf tea. That is amazing stuff. You should drink one or two cups a day from now on. You can ice it too if you get bored of it hot. Also, make sure you are not anemic. Eat as much iron rich food as you can, and consider taking a supplement. Health food stores carry vegetarian iron supplements if that's an issue. Good luck!

[MsElle07]

Thank you -- I'm going to up my intake of RRL and try some alfalfa. I have excellent iron levels, and have for each of my pregnancies. My MWs have always asked what I was doing to get such high levels. (Nothing special, BTW -- my body just absorb iron readily.)

[kerikadi]

I get my RRL from www.gentlemoon.com the quality does make a difference and loose tee is much better than tea bags. I mean, if you're going to drink the stuff it might as well be the good stuff right
I steep mine with a stick of cinnamon for flavor - bring it to a boil and steep on low for about an hour. I only like it cold so I put it in a glass pitcher and put in the fridge. It is good for 3-4 days and should be stored in glass.

Keri

[AKmoose]

After Ease is more for the cramps that you get after the whole birth experience (like when you're nursing for the next few days/weeks)...if you'd like to try a tincture, I've heard of many UCers who use HemHalt (http://www.trilightherbs.com/merchant/pregorderform.htm - scroll down) or Womb Stringe (http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo....roductid=0256). You might ask your mw about them too...

[Mrs_Hos]

I didnt bleed much at all...
RRT, alfalfa, no tugging on my cord...in fact my placenta detached right after birth, but I took 3 hrs to push it out...
After, i used frozen comfrey pads (pads streaked w/ comfrey tea)...really helped with swelling and healing...
Took shepards purse to help with bleeding...still had afterpains tho...

more on shepards purse...
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...p/t-40162.html

[bikruca]

forgot to mention- if you are concerned about bleeding make some cayenne tincture to have on hand- it should stop any bleeding post haste.. I will edit this post once I can find a link for this.

(I have been researching PPH a lot as it is my major concern with my twin birth)

[lychin]

Hi. Don't forget to start checking your diet now for blood thinning foods, herbs and supplements that can be eliminated. For example, garlic and fish oil supp. can be as potent as aspirin in regards to thinning the blood.
As far as fundal massage, it can be very uncomfortable but it really does help. When the uterus becomes boggy, you are much more likely to bleed heavily and produce large clots.
Good luck with your birth!

[koru]

Originally Posted by lychin

Hi. Don't forget to start checking your diet now for blood thinning foods, herbs and supplements that can be eliminated. For example, garlic and fish oil supp. can be as potent as aspirin in regards to thinning the blood.
As far as fundal massage, it can be very uncomfortable but it really does help. When the uterus becomes boggy, you are much more likely to bleed heavily and produce large clots.
Good luck with your birth!

fish oil? really? as a blood thinner?

when should one start taking alfalfa? i bled quite a bit with my first dd requiring a shot of pit & then something else, too. my second birth was ok but i'm concerned, like pp, because i'm having a homebirth with #3. i'm 23 weeks right now....

[3-StarSystem]

I had a PPH with my last birth but there were a lot of nasty factors involved with that!

I definitely want to avoid a hot of pitocin this time around as I'll likely be having a UC.

We have an herbal remedy all ready to go (Hem halt. It's a blend. Can't remember what's in it but I got it on www.birthwithlove.com) but before that we'll likely try icepaks. I have a GIANT gelpack in my freezer so if I start bleeding or need help in contracting we'll be laying that on my tummy to help trigger contractions with the tincture and massage being our next option.

[lychin]

Originally Posted by doulalove

fish oil? really? as a blood thinner?

Really. Here are a couple of quotes, the first from Dr. Weil. But if you google it, you will find a number of articles.

A number of natural substances have been shown to act as blood thinners: Garlic, ginger, ginkgo, dong quai, feverfew, fish oil, vitamin E, and tree ear mushrooms (available in a dried form in Chinese grocery stores) all appear to have anticoagulant activity.

Omega-3 fatty acids- One of the reasons the eskimos have a lower risk for heart disease is thought to be the blood thinning action of
fish oil (the thinning may increase risk for stroke, however). Fish oil and flaxseed oil are excellent sources of
omega-3 fatty acids. Diets rich in these compounds induce the accumulation of omega-3 fats on platelet
membranes. This effect results in the production of thromboxane A3, which inhibits platelet aggregation. The
overall effect may increase clotting time. Large amounts of fish oil should not be combined with anticoagulant
drugs.

Here is an article I came across that lists foods high in salicylates. I am not familiar with this source, but it can be used as a starting point for further research:
http://www.ctds.info/natthinners.html

[mama2two]

I have never received Pitocin after delivery with my previous two pregnancies. I have a background as a labor & delivery nurse and my advice is to make sure that your bladder is empty after delivery. A full bladder can make a big difference since your uterus can't clamp down properly if it's in the way. If you have bad memories of having your uterus massages how about massaging it yourself, unless of course you need help because your bleeding a lot.

Good luck.

[pwit]

no advice, just wanting to see what others say,

I had a homebirth, no cord cutting til placenta came out, skin to skin contact, immediate breastfeeding, and bam all the sudden I started hemmoraging HORRIBLE. My blood pressure dropped so low they couldn't get a reading and I almost had to transfer to the hospital. I'm preg. again and my midwife said that Red Raspberry Leaf tea might help if I take it near the end of pregnancy but really she isn't sure I could have done anything different that would have helped. She gave me a shot of pitocin and something else I can't remember when I was hemmoraging. But I don't recall it causing me any after pain though. My uterus just didn't want to contract. I am mostly just hoping that it won't happen again. But if it does I'm glad she has pitocin with her. But like I said for me the pitocin was not uncomfortable at all. I do want to do anything I can though to try and keep from having a repeat of that. Oh and I was able to pee through out my labor and did so I don't think it had to do with a full bladder.

[Anglyn]

Thanks for this thread! I am going to get some of that rasberry leaf tea and alfalfa.....I dread pitocin! I didnt need it with my last, but I used a midwife and birthing center. With my first two I got it as "standard procedure". Blah. Those after pains HURT so much worse with pitocin.

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by Anglyn

Thanks for this thread! I am going to get some of that rasberry leaf tea and alfalfa.....I dread pitocin! I didnt need it with my last, but I used a midwife and birthing center. With my first two I got it as "standard procedure". Blah. Those after pains HURT so much worse with pitocin.

My experience was the exact opposite. The afterpains after my first birth were negligible (pitocin induction and they insisted on finishing off bag of pit so I was still hooked up even after they sewed up the episiotomy) but were quite painful, to the point of making me gasp, after my natural births.

[Vortexing]

FWIW I had a hospital birth, with midwife, no cord tugging, no pit, didn't bleed a ton, but just little bits at a time for a good 4 weeks pp.

I drank a tea that had both RRL and alfalfa and a couple of other things in it too. Oh, it was called Third Trimester Tea from Earth Mama Angel BAby. It was good tea and may possibly have helped but I have nothing to compare it to. The RRL tea in bags is terrible.